Machine for forming tapered cork stoppers



MACHINE FOR FORMTNG TAPERED CQRKSTOPPERS Filed March 1,1, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet ii A. s. GREENE MACHINE FOR FORMING TAPERED coRxsroPPsns Mareh. 12, 1929.

filed March 11, 1925 3 sheets-sheet 2 March 12,1929. A. s. GREENE 1,705,185

i MACHINE FOR FORMING TAPERED CORK STO'PPERS Filed Maron 1.1, 1925 :s sheets-sheet. 3

7 /9 f i@ y /J/ E vf Z9 1 1 m =w Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

ANDREW s. GREENE, or eoFFsTowN, New Iriirr1 s1-rrnn-` MACHINE FOR FORMING TArnnnn conn s'rorrnns.

Application ined March 11,1925. serial no. 14,652.

This invention relates to a machine for the production of tapered cork stoppers.

Its object is to provide a machine for the production of tapered cork Stoppers from strip or sheet material in an expeditious manner. lThis object is attained, briefly, by providing a machine with mechanism for punching a stopper blank from the` strip vor sheet material and' mechanism for skiving the blank into tapered form whileit is being held and rotated. The invention may best be under'- stood by reference to the following description of the embodiment thereof shown on the accompanying` drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideA elevation ofra machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the same.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are vertical sections taken, respectively, on the lines 3 3, 4--4 and 5-.5 ofFigure 1.

Figure 6 represents the cylindrical blank formed by the blank punching mechanism.

Figure 7 shows a nished tapered stopper produced from the blank. y A

Figure 8 is in enlarged sectional view shewing the blank punching mechanism in one position. f

Figure 9 shows the blank nism in another position.

Figure 10 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a portion of the skiving mechanism. v p

Figure 11 is a section on the line 11%11 of Figure 9. j

Figure 12 is a detail section illustrating the manner in which a blank is Cut from a strip or sheet.

Figure 13 is a detail perspective illustrating the action of the skiving knife on a blank.

The blank punching mechanism comprises a punching tube or die '14`which may be ro-` tated and reciprocated, as hereinafter described, and whichv on its forward stroke punches a blank from a strip or sheet of cork 45 material 3 resting against the side of a wooden strip or boardlOl acting as a die block for a work-table 100. The table 100 is slidably mounted on a pair of ways 113, 113,`and may be moved longitudinally, by a handle 114 50 which is fixed to a threaded spindle 115 punching mechamounted on a bracket 116 and engaging'Va threaded boss 117 cut in the table, thereby affording adjustment of the table for different sized Stoppers and their corresponding dies.

VJourr-.aled in the bearing 11 carriedl by a bracket@ which is secured to the table portion 5 of the machine frame, is a die carrying memfixed. thereto a flanged pulley 16 which may be rotated by any suitable means. 'Centrallyvdisposedwithin the tube 12 and journaled at one end in a bearing 10 beyond the pulley 1,6, is a spindle 20. The bearing 10 is supported by a bracket 8 which is secured to the table portion 5 of the machine frame. the-,spindle 20 extends beyond the punching die 12 when the latter is in itsfretracted position shown in Figure 8. Thespindle 2O is rotatedfby the rotation of the tube 12, which is keyed thereto in the elongated slot 25, and which `is capableof longitudinal movement relative thereto.` (See Figures 9 and 11p.) Longitudinalmovement of the spindle 20Y is prevented by the collars 18 and 19 xed therete on either side of the bearing 10.

The driving pulley-16 has a hub 26 integral i therewith provided with an end flange 28 which is space-d from the flange 27 `With which-it forms an annular way, rollers 30, 30A pi'votally mounted on a yoke32 engaging in this way (Figure 2). The stem 33 of the yoke 32 is fixed to a rock shaft 34 yjournaled in the bosses 'and 36 on the table portion 5 of the machine frame. Fixed to one end'of the shaft 34 is an' arm 37 at the free end of which is journaled a cam VVroller 38. The roller 38 engages in the cam slot 40 of a eylindrical cam 41 which is fixed to a main driving shaft 42 of the machine. The shaft 42 is journaled at its ends in the bearings 43,

The other end of l *Y by suitable power means (not shown). `The l vencounters the end of the spindle 20, where,.

upon the blank is held against further retraction, so vthat by continued retractlng movement of the die the ejection of the blank therefrom is effected. During the ejection of the blank a support for its outer end is brought into engagement therewith. For this purpose a` bell-shaped member 95 is swi-v, eled on one end of a short spindle 61 fixed to the free end of an arm 60. The arm 60 is fixed to one end of a rock shaft 56 journaled in the bearings 57, 57 on the table portion 5 of the machine frame, Fixed to the other end of the shaft 56 is a collar 55 with spaced fianges 6,6. A. pair of rollers`58, 58 pivotally mounted on a yoke 53 engage between the flanges 6, 6 of the collar. The stem 52 of the yoke is fixed to a rock shaft 50 journaled in bosses 51, 51 `on the table portion 5 of the frame. Fixed to the rock shaft 50 is a cam arm 48 at the free end of which is journaled a cam roll 46. The cam roll 46 rides on a face cam 47 fixed to the main drive shaft 42. The cam roll 46 is held firmly against the vcam surface by a spring 49 Afastened to a lug on the machine frame and env'acino' the arm t1 D C) 48.` A gear 59 is keyed to the shaft 56 be-` tween the bosses 57, 57 in a manner such that axialmovement of the shaft 56 relative thereto is permitted, the bosses preventing longitudinal movement of the gear. A segmental gear 62 meshing with the gear 59 is fixed to a rock shaft 63, which is journaled in the bea-ring 115 secured to the machine frame 5. An arm 64 is fixed to one end of the shaft, and

v at its free end is journaled a cam roller 65 engaging a face cam 66 fixed to the shaft 42. The cam roller 65 is held firmly Yagainst the cam surface by a spring 67 fastened `to the machine frame and engaging the arm 64. The rotation of the shaft 42 imparts an oscillating' motion to the arm 64 and causes the bell-shaped member 95 mounted on theV arm to move into and out of axial alinement with the spindle 20. lNhen itis moved into alinement with the spindle, the arm 48 is rocked in a direction to move the member 95 toward the spindle so as to clamp the blank therebetween, this clamping being effected by the time the die is fully retracted and the blank ejected therefrom.

Thus, after the dichas punched a blank B from the strip material and has started its retracting stroke, the segmental gear 62 is caused to rotate by the cam 66, bringing the bell-shaped member 95into alinement with chanism is brought into engagement with the blank. I The bell-shaped member 95 reaches this engaging position during the ejection of the cylindrical blank from the die, and supportably enga-ges the face opposite .to that engaged by the spindle. `After this ejection has been completed, the blank is engaged on one face and rotated by prongs 22 of the rotating spindle 20, and is engaged on its other face by the bell-shaped member 95 which may rotate therewith. The blank is hence support during and after the period of its ejection from the die. Thilo the blank is thus being supported and rotated, the skiving or finishing mechanism isfbrought up to' the blank to form'thetaper on the blank and thereby to Vproduce the finished product.

The skiving mechanism comprises a disk skiving knife 68 fixed to one end of a shaft 7 0, as by a nut 69. The shaft 70 is journaled in the bearings 74 and 75 carried by a bifurcated bracket '71, which is pivot-ally mounted on studs 126 carried by a plate 191. The plate is mounted on an axis 120 and is xed thereto, as by a set screw 121. The angle formed between the axis of t-he shaft- 70 and the axis of the spindle 20 is such that an acute angle is formed between the axis of the spindle and the plane 0f the knife 68.

This acute angle may be varied to conform to the taper which it is desired to impart to the finished stopper, by releasing the set screw7 121 and turning the plate 191 about the axis 120.

The shaft 70 may be rotated by a pully 72 splined thereon, which is positioned between the beadings 74 and 75, wliichhold it against axial motion, an elongated groove 76 in the shaft 70 permitting axial movement of the shaft relative to the pulley 72. The pulley 72 is connected by a belt 107 to a. pulley 84, journaled on the shaft 42, by which the skiving knife 68 may be rotated at a high rate of speed. To effect this, a pulley 85, shown integral withthe pulley 84, and which is also loosely mounted on the shaft 42, is belted to a suitable source of power (not shown). A collar 155`with spaced anges 23 forming an annular Way thereon, is fixed to the other end of the shaft 70, rollers 76 pivotally mounted on a yoke 77 engaging the fianges. The stem 78 of the yoke 77 is telescopically fixed to an arm 130, which is fixed to a shaft 7 9 journaled at one end in bosses 80, 80 and at the other end in bosses 81, 81. An adjusting screw 131 engages in an arcuate groove 182 in the bracket 71 and may be made to raise or lower the bracket, the telescopic arrangement of the yoke 77 permitting of adjusting the axis of rotation of the disk knife vertically for different sized stoppers. Between the two bosses 81, 81 is xed to the shaft 79, an arm 82 which has journaled at its free end a cam roller 83 which engages a face cani 184 fixed to the shaft 42, this cam imparting a reciprocating motion to the disk-carrying shaft 7 0. The angle between the arm 130 and the cam arm 82 may be varied by the adjusting device 135 fixed t-o the rock shaft 79 and to the cam 'ai-m82. The stroke ofthe shaft 79 may thus t from one portion of the blank than from the other portion, a taperedstopper being produced, as shown in Figure 7, -A The skiv'ing knife is then retracted, whereupon the bellshaped member 95 is retracted so as to release the now tapered cork, which drops down to the chute110. Tliemember -95 is'swung out of alineinent with the spindle and out of the path of the die on its succeeding punching stroke. A

The'complete operation of the machine may be summarized briefly as follows l Themachine operator places the strip of cork material on the work-table 100, with the die 145y in its retracted position. lVit-h the pulleys 16 and 45 rotating, the die llet is moved forward and punches a blank fromthe strip 3.' Thedie 14, with a blankcont'ained therein, is retracted, the inner end face "of the.A bla-nk' encountering the end of the spindle 20,

whereupon the blank is ejected from the die. During this ejection of the'blank from the die', the member 95 is moved into alinement with the spindley and is then moved toward the spindle soV as to clamp the blank therebetween, one face ofV the :blank being supported by the-prongsQQ of the spindle 20, and the other 4face supported by the swiveled bell-shaped me-mber 95. When the blank has been completely ejected, it is supported on both faces and is being rotated by the die spindle, the die 14 resting in the retracted position shown in VFigure 1. The rotating disk skiving'knife- 14- operation taking place during one -revolution ofthe shaft 42. The operator now moves the strip 3 forward and the` entire cycle of operations is repeated in sequence by the various mechanisms of the machine.

When a different sized stopper is desired to be produced,a correspondingly sized die may be secured to the die carrying member 12,

or if integral, another die carrying member 1Q with a dierof the desired size substituted, and the table and the various adjusting means 'inthe skiving mechanism made to conform to the-different sized stopper.

'Y Itis, of course, understood that .while the description of this invention has been confined to what is new believed todbe the preferred embodiment thereof, asilliistiated in the drawings, this invention is susceptible `of various modifica-tions and changes which are within the spirit of the invention, without departing from the scope of the appended claims; i n i What I claim is:

1 A machine of the class described, com-r prisin'g a punchingtube, means foi' rotating and reciprocating said tube, a blank ejector spindle rotated by said tube and disposed within said tube for engaging one face of the bla-nk,- means movable into position to engage the `other-"face of the blank and to permitA its rotation by said spindle, and-means for finishing the blank as it is being held and rotated. f

' 2. A machine of the class described, comprising'a blank punching die, means for r0- tating and reciproca-ting said die, a blank ejectingvspindle disposed within and engaging one facel of the blank as it is being ejected, and'means movable into position to engage the other face of the blank during its ejection, and 'means for tapering vsaid blank while it is so engaged on both `its faces.

3. A machine of the class described, comprising afdie for punching cylindrical blanks, means for rotating and reciprocating said die, means for ejecting. a blank from. the die disposed withiny andy rotating together with said Adie for engaging one face of the blank and for rotatingit after ejection, a swiveled member movable into alinement and engagement with the other face of the blank, vand means for taperingsaid-blank into'a finished stopper during such rotation.

a blank from said die comprising rotatable members ada ated to `eifiofaee both faces of a .I M b punched biank and finishing mechanism com prising a rotatable disk skiving knife, means for reciprocating said skiving knife to bring it intol cutting engagement with said blank as it is beineheld and means to adjust said b n u u finishing mechanism for differentsized blanks comprising means yfor changing the limits 'ofreciprocationof said skiving knife.

5. In amachine of the Class described., a

blank punchingdie, 4mechanism for receiving a blank from said die,`,coinprising rotatable members adaptedto engage both faces of a punched blank, and finishing vmechanism comprising a rotatabler diskskivingknife, means for reciprocating said Askiving knife to bring it into cutting engagement with said blankas .it is being. held, and means to adjust said `finishing mechanism for different sized blanks vcomprising means for adjusting the angle of engagement of the knife with thel blank to vary the taper of the finished product, means for chan (ring the limits of reciprocation of said skiving knife, and means for varying the axis of rotation of said skiving knife transversely to the aXisl of rotation of the blank.

(5. A machine of the class described comprising a blank punching die, means for reciprocating said die into and out of punching position, a spindle within said die acting to eject the blank during the retracting stroke, means for rotating said spindle, a rotatable member rocking into Y alinement with the spindle and moving toward said spindle to clamp the ejected blank therebetween, thus permitting its rotation by saidy spindle, and after a period moving from said spindle and rocking out of alinement therewithV to permit the succeeding punching stroke, and means for finishing said blank while it is held clamped and rotated.

7 A machine ofthe class described, comprising a tubular blank punching die, means for rotating said die, m-eans for reciprocating said die into and out of punching position, a spindle within said die and rotated thereby acting to eject the'blank during the retracting stroke, a rotatable member rocking into alinement with the spindle and moving toward said spindle to clamp the ejected blank` therebetween thus permitting its rot-ationby said spindle, and after a period moving from said spindle and rocking out of alinement therewith to permit the succeeding punching stroke, and means reciprocating intoengagement with said blank for tapering said blank while it is held clamped and rotated.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a blank punching die, means for reciprocating said die into and out of punching position, a spindle within said die acting to eject the blank during the retracting stroke of the die, means for rotating said spindle, a rotatable member, means for movingI said member into alinement with the spindle and then toward said spindle to clamp the ejected blank therebetween and thus to efl'ect rotation of said blank by said spindle and after a period moving saidmember away fronisaid spindle and then out of alinement therewith to permit the succeeding punching stroke of the die, and means for finishing said blank while it is held clamped and rotated, said means comprising a skiving knife and means for reciprocating said knife into cutting engagement with said blank and then out of cutting engagement before said blank is released. Y

i). A machine of the class described, comprising a tubular blank punching die, means Vfor rotating said die, means for reciprocating said die into and out of punching position, a spindle within said die and rotated thereby acting to eject the blank during the j signature.

retracting stroke of the die, a rotatable member, means for moving said member into moving said member away from said spindle` and then out of alinement therewith to permit ythe succeeding punching .strokey of the die, and means for iinishing said blankwhile it is held clamped and rotated, said means comprising a rotary disk skiving knife, means vfor rotating said knife, and means for reciprocating'said knife into cutting engagement with said blank and then out of cutting engagement before said blank is released. i

' 10. A machine of the class described, comprising a blank punching die, means for reciprocating said die into and out of punching position, a spindle within said die acting to eject said blank during the retracting stroke of the die, means for rotating said spindle, a rotatable member, means forl moving said member into alinement with the spindle and then toward said spindle to clamp the ejected blank therebetween and' thus' to eect rotation of said blank by said spindle. and after a period moving said member away from said spindle and then out of alinement therewith to permit the succeeding punching stroke of the die, and means for finishing said blank while it is held clamped and rotated, said means comprising a rotary disk skiving knife reciprocable into and out of cutting engagement with said blank and au'anged to engage said blank at vvan angle to impart a taper thereto, means for rotating said knife, and means for reciproeating said knifewhile it is rotating into cutting engagement with said blank, and then out of cutting engagement before said blank is released. Y

171. A machine of the class described, comprising a blank punching die, means for reciproeating said die into and out of punching position, a spindle within said die acting to eject the blank during the retractingstroke of the die, means for rotating said spindle, a rotatable member, means for rocking said member into` alinementvwith the spindle and then moving it toward said spindle to clamp the ejected blank therebetween and thus to effect its rotation by said spindle, and after a period moving said member from said blank and rocking it out of alinement therewith to permit the succeeding punching stroke of the die, skiving means moving into cutting engagement with said blank while it is held clamped and rotated, and means holding said rotatablemember against rocking m'otion while said blankis being rotated and cut. In testimony whereof I have affixed my A ANDREW s. GREENE. i, 

